The Lion Foundation Songwriting Competition

About

Thisis New Zealand’s national secondary school songwriting competition, and has yielded thousands of entries from around the country over the past 15 years.

The competition is open to all secondary school students, years 9 to 13, in New Zealand.

This competition celebrates and embraces the voice of our youth through song.

Here is a chance to have your song recorded in a professional recording studio to the value of $750. Over forty songs are recorded, mastered and included on the annual Play It Strange album which is made available for free download and streaming. These songs are enjoyed and embraced by many - schools, community, whanau, peers and the wider music community.

FIRST PLACE

The winning songwriter/s will receive the Lion Foundation Songwriting Competition 1st Place Trophy. A $1,000 NZ Rockshop voucher.A NZ On Air “Special Tracks” grant of up to $8,000 for recording the track professionally.A chance to make a music video (see conditions of entry).

FINALISTS

All finalists receive a signed certificate.A $50 NZ Rockshop voucher.A day in a professional recording studio to the value of $750 to record the song entered.

AWARDS

There are several awards within the Lion Foundation Songwriting Competition

Junior Maioha Award - Best song in Te Reo MaoriDavid Richwhite Lyric Award - Best lyricsPwC School of the Year Award - To the school with the most songs in the finalists

HOW IT WORKS

Entry is online and your song must be authorised by your school’s principal or other teacher (see entry form). Our judging panel does not take the entry’s recording or performance quality into account.

Each song is judged equally - 50% lyrics and 50% composition. You are not required to perform your own song for the entry recording.

The song can be recorded by a group or by an individual (see 4b. on the conditions of entry section).

Peace Song Competition

Who Loves Who Competition

2018 ENTRY FORM NOW AVAILABLE

The Winner and all Finalists have been announced.For all secondary school students in NZ. The competition is judged based on the originality of the cover you choose to rearrange and sing, written and performed by a kiwi artist.Supported by a Music Grant from Recorded Music NZ.

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What we do

We do all sorts of cool projects

Play It Strange has worked for over 10 years, striving to provide secondary students with a platform they can use to pursue their musical adventures. We've held concerts, workshops and competitions, all with the intentions to provide the right environment from which students can gain confidence, self-belief and an impetus for a career path they would like to follow.

University of Waikato have completed their first Songwriting paper

I Know This To Be True was conceived and assembled by Geoff Blackwell of PQ Blackwell, and Ric Salizzo. It is a book about truth, beauty and wisdom. "Sixty New Zealanders in the middle of interesting lives talk about what really matters, truth and beauty, and the things they hold dear to their hearts."

Royalties from the book sales will be forwarded to PLAY IT STRANGE to further their website and school programmes.

I Know This To Be True is an incredible collection of New Zealanders discussing what it is that is important to them. PQ Blackwell have generously donated all profits from book sales to Play It Strange. We cannot thank them enough for their support of Play It Strange, and we are so grateful to be part of such a rich, inspiring project.

The book is available for purchase from any good book store in New Zealand and online. Go and get one and enjoy!

The songs on our Bandcamp are free to stream and download. Go crazy. They are there for your listening.

Alumni

See what our Alumni are up to

Play It Strange songwriters that have had their songs recorded for the annual CD are making cool inroads out into the world. Their career paths were fuelled from their time at school during which they sent their songs into our competitions and triumphed.

Here we have a selection of those who hit the ground running when they left school. With songwriting, performance and recording experience they were capable and poised for action.

Feedback

Happy customers and clients

CUSTOMERS: Those philanthropic institutions, individuals, grants bodies and funding agencies. We applaud their generosity in supporting us and their focus on the benefits we bring to the society around us.

CLIENTS: The songwriters and performers that bring their imaginative craft and performing skills to bear and we are all rewarded. From the secondary school songwriting competitions to the recording sessions for the top 40 songs.